


The Brats and the Bees

by Princess_Citrus



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Aftercare, And Rhys has to teach him, BDSM, F/M, Jack knows fuck all about Kink, Kink, Kink Negotiation, M/M, Rape Roleplay, Subspace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-02-22 23:06:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13177119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_Citrus/pseuds/Princess_Citrus
Summary: Jack had heard talk around Helios that the data miner with the cybernetic arm and legs for days was not what he seemed. It wasn't just that he was a good lay, apparently he's really freaky in bed, really masochistic. And while one might argue that you have to be a masochist to work at Hyperion, they were actually a bit hard to find, at least with the intensity that this desk jockey supposedly possessed. And when you're someone with Handsome Jack's…proclivities, masochists are highly attractive.Unfortunately, Rhys doesn't exactly turn out to be the kind of masochist that Jack is looking for(Actually, he'sexactlythe kind of masochist Jack is looking for, they both just don't know it yet)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A convo I had with some buddies  
> "New thought  
> Sub Rhys, but not whimpering, simpering "yes sir, please sir" Rhys  
>  _brat_ Rhys  
>  And Jack doesn't? Know how to handle it?  
> He's like "I think I'm going to have to punish you," and Rhys is like "my safeword is shotgun rhinoplasty let's do this" and spits in his face"

Jack had heard talk around Helios that the data miner with the cybernetic arm and legs for days was not what he seemed. It wasn't just that he was a good lay, apparently he's really freaky in bed, really masochistic. And while one might argue that you have to be a masochist to work at Hyperion, they were actually a bit hard to find, at least with the intensity that this desk jockey supposedly possessed. And when you're someone with Handsome Jack's…proclivities, masochists are highly attractive. Once he decided that he wanted him, Jack arranged to end up in the same elevator and the boy nearly creamed himself on the spot. Jack hid a self-satisfied smirk behind a condescending sneer that says "I'm way too important to kill a nobody like you myself, I'll get a robot to do it for me" and the middle manager snapped forward to face the doors of the elevator, but he was still trembling and he occasionally snuck a glance back at Jack.

On the outside, Jack looked grumpy and bored and ready to snap someone's neck. Really, he was watching the other man, Ron? Keith? (He knows his name is Rhys, having thoroughly checked out his file the night before, but he felt the need to remain cool and aloof, even to himself) whoever he is, Jack watched the way he clenched his fist, blunt, well-kept nails digging into his palms, the way he exhaled through his mouth, lips in a slight pucker. What really drew his attention was what he couldn't see. There was an alluring tattoo on his neck that was peeking out from under his collar. Following the design with his eyes led him to something much more interesting. Jack's facade cracked for a moment as his eyes went wide when he caught a glimpse of the lingering wounds hiding underneath his shirt. It looked like he got into a fight with a wild cat. The ends of the presumably long scratches were healing up nicely, but they looked painful. Jack wanted to give this guy a hearty slap on the back, just to see the pain he caused him. He bet the guy would like it. When he decided he'd seen enough, he hit the 'door open' button and shoved past the other people in the elevator. He'd give this Rhys a call later.

\---

Rhys was in the middle of discussing lunch plans with Vaughn and Yvette when his ECHO eye started blinking red with urgency, starting all three of them.

"Uhh, what's wrong with your eye?" Vaughn asked.

Rhys covered his eye with one hand, the red light shining from in between his fingers. "I- I don't know, it's never done this before." He opened his robotic hand and a red message projected that read "check your email." He looked at his friends, checking that they could see it too. They were watching for his next move. As soon as he opened his email, his eye stopped flashing.

"Who could be able to do that?" Vaughn wondered aloud. "It'd have to be someone with serious access to-"

"Guys," Rhys interrupted him. "I just got an email from Handsome Jack."

\---

Lunch plans were quickly forgotten as they all freaked, grilling him for information. The email was formal enough, simply inviting Rhys to visit the CEO's office, and, as exciting as it was, with a message that vague it could be quite deadly. They tried to brainstorm anything Rhys might have done to upset the man, but he hadn't indicated a time so that meant he wanted him immediately and before he knew it, Yvette was fixing his hair and shoving him into an elevator.

He tried to take deep breaths and not think about all the ways his idol might kill him. He tried to think of happy things. Don't think of being strangled to death, just think of being strangled a little bit...ok not that happy, he didn't need to be walking into his office with an erection. He wouldn't deny that he was attracted to Handsome Jack- the man had "handsome" in his name for a reason. The reason he wanted to work at Hyperion in the first place was because of him, though that had more to do with plans for Pandora and the business itself, though he quickly became familiar, through gossip as well as announcements and news broadcasts from the man himself, that he was quite ruthless and brutal. It only made him more attractive to Rhys.

Except for at this very moment when it may be his head on the chopping block.

After an eternity of nervous silence, the elevator doors opened onto a long hallway. There was a large set of double doors at the end of it with two guards on either side. He activated his ECHO eye out of habit and also noticed the two turrets on the ceiling. The walk along the hallway was agonizing. If he wasn't being watched, he would sprint the distance just to get it over with; the worst part was having the eyes of the guards on him. When he stopped in front of them, he hesitated for a moment before he cleared his throat and started with "Handsome Jack sent me an email-" and one of the guards hit a button on his wrist computer, the door opening automatically. "Th-thank you," he stuttered, slipping through the door before it was fully open.

The first thing he noticed about Handsome Jack's office was just how goddamn big it was; with vaulted ceilings, giant windows, and a spacious floor plan, there really was room to spread out. Handsome Jack was typing away at his keyboard as Rhys stared, slack jawed at the room around him and he was glad the man he admired so much didn't see any of that as he made his way up the steps to the desk.

Handsome Jack glanced up when he heard Rhys coming and started to smile. Rhys could not tell if this was good or bad for him or not. "Just the boy I wanted to see!" Handsome Jack said, smile still growing.

'That was a weird was to say that,' Rhys thought.

"Go ahead and have a seat. I'm just finishing this up," Handsome Jack said, lifting one hand off the keyboard briefly to gesture to the chairs in front of the deal.

Rhys anxiously sat. He'd heard there were traps in here. Could one of these chairs be trapped? He tried not to think about it as he watched Handsome Jack type. Wow, his hands looked a lot bigger in person. He had to hold himself back from thinking about one pressing down on his carotid artery or framing a lock of his hair. He needed to be focused, on his toes, ready for anything.

"Now, that's taken care of," Handsome Jack muttered to himself as he hit his last key strokes a little harder. Then he stood up and started making his way around the desk. Oh, this could not be good, right? This had to be bad, there was no way this was not bad, oh god, why was he coming closer? "I've heard some interesting things about you, Rhys," Handsome Jack all but purred.

That was the kind of thing you expected to hear if you had committed fraud or had been embezzling or doing something otherwise illegal, none of which Rhys had done. Rhys racked his brain in a panic for what he might have done to ever piss Handsome Jack off. It must of showed on his face, because Handsome Jack snickered. "Relax, cupcake, I'm about to make all your dreams come true." Even though Rhys knew that Handsome Jack used pet names for everybody, basically a way to show them that he didn't care enough to know their names and that they were unimportant, being called cupcake did give him a certain thrill.

Rhys held his body perfectly still and tried not to flinch as Handsome Jack reached out and _took his face in one hand_ , cradling it softly. His lips parted as he gasped slightly. Handsome Jack paused in whatever it was he was doing to bite his lip after hearing it and seeing the fawning look on his face. Rhys was totally hopeless at this point, he was putty in the man's literal hands. He had to hold himself back from leaning too much into his touch.

"Like I said," Handsome Jack continued, in a softer voice. "I've been hearing some interesting things about you, Rhys."

The heady, dark look in Handsome Jack's eyes enticed him to respond. "Wh-what kind of things?" Rhys asked.

Handsome Jack hummed. His hand slipped down his jaw to grip him at his chin, holding him loosely. There was no need to grip him tightly; Rhys would not pull away. "I've heard you've been a naughty boy." Rhys gasped fully and Handsome Jack took the opportunity of his open mouth to slip his thumb inside. Rhys did not disappoint, immediately closing his mouth over the digit and sucking. "You see, Rhys, I have very specific tastes and, well, people talk." Rhys had the audacity to blush, his eyes closing, but he didn't stop sucking on Jack's thumb. "I think that you might fit those tastes."

When Rhys opened his eyes, his gaze was absolutely smoldering. Handsome Jack pulled his thumb out of his mouth so he could speak. "What kind of tastes?" he purred. Handsome Jack grinned. This was not the terrified company man that walked into his office, this was the sex fiend he'd heard stories about.

Handsome Jack rested his hand on the front of Rhys's throat and the fact that he didn't flinch away, but instead lifted his chin spoke volumes about the kind of man he was. He was really going to enjoy taking him apart. He let his hand slide around to the back of his neck and down into his shirt, finding the scratch marks he'd seen before and dug his fingernails into them. Rhys hissed, but his eye lids fluttered and his back arched. When his eyes were back on Handsome Jack, he licked his lips. "These kind," he answered before withdrawing his hand and leaving it on his collarbone, his thumb and fingers framing his throat.

Rhys took a deep breath, watching how it made Handsome Jack's hand rise and fall. "You're right," Rhys said with a dreamy look in his eye. "This really is a dream come true." Handsome Jack grinned, ready to start, ready to get him out of his clothes. "Which is why I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't think that we are…compatible."

Handsome Jack was utterly shocked. He never in a million years would have seen this coming. This man, who was fidgeting and keening under his light touches, sucking on his thumb, and he was pretty sure sporting a half chub, was turning him down. "In what way?" he asked, his tone completely business like, not betraying the bewilderment or the annoyance that he felt.

Rhys wasn't entirely sure how to word this. If he had to guess, he would say he was more specific about his tastes than Handsome Jack was, which is what made this difficult. He was also fairly certain that, while the man was a sadist, he knew nothing about kink. He had to choose his words very carefully if he didn't want to end up on the next airlock out of Helios. "You…strike me as a man who doesn't like back talk," Rhys said carefully.

"I don't," Handsome Jack deadpanned, his anger starting to show.

"That's kind of…my thing. I'm a brat," he explained.

Handsome Jack snorted. "I'll say."

"No, I mean…sexually. That's the type of submissive I am. I'm disobedient and I misbehave and I backtalk and...I don't think that's what you're looking for." Rhys hoped to god that was inoffensive enough to not get him killed.

"I see," was what he said instead. There were several long moments of silence where Rhys's life hung in the balance before Handsome Jack leaned back and said, "You can go now."

He walked out of the office with measured steps, almost worried that sudden movements might make the man change his mind and decide to shoot him in the back. He walked down the long hallway to the elevator and held deathly still on the way to his floor. He walked even to his apartment where he stood in his entranceway for several minutes, trying to take in what just happened to him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys and Jack reflect on their earlier meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so flattered by the interest and the compliments the first chapter got! Thank you so much! I have to warn you, my plan for this work is...incorporeal...so we'll see how it goes lol. But since I know people are interested in it I'll give it my best!

Vaughn was understanding that Rhys didn't want to talk about what happened in Handsome Jack's office, even if he was worried about him; he was just glad that he came back in one piece. Rhys eventually moved to his bedroom, taking off his tie and dropping it onto the floor before flopping limply onto his bed. He stared up at the blank ceiling, his mind buzzing and swirling with what had just happened to him.

Handsome Jack wanted to have sex with _him_ and he said _**no**_.

Was he out of his mind? How did he even make it out of that office alive? The interest on Handsome Jack's face was real, it had to be, but when Rhys turned him down he looked annoyed for maybe a moment, then he returned to the cool and aloof CEO that handed out promotions and executions with the same apathetic glance to his watch to let you know that you were, indeed, wasting his time.

Beyond that, how was he able to let the opportunity of a century- no, a millennium- slip away from him? Not just to be fucked by Handsome Jack, even though the most vanilla sex with the man would satisfy him for life, apparently he had a sadistic streak (as if that was a surprise). He could have had those hands wrapped around his throat, squeezing the air flow from his trachea, bruising his neck-

And therein lay the problem.

Rhys didn't know much about Handsome Jack's sex life. There were many people on Helios who claimed to have been fucked over a desk by the man when no one was around, but most of those stories were suspect at best. Regardless, Rhys knew one thing about Handsome Jack and that was his personality and given his personality and his penchant for aforementioned executions, Rhys suspected no one had ever talked to the man about kink etiquette or safety. The man was used to strangling people literally to death, not putting enough pressure on their carotid artery to make them light headed. No matter the fact that Rhys would absolutely croak "worth it," afterwards, there was no way Handsome Jack wouldn’t do some serious damage to his neck without proper education. 

Rhys wasn't a stranger to strangulation or breath play, but there was no way in hell he would do it with someone who had no idea what they were doing (unless he knew for a fact he was going to die anyways, but that was a different fantasy for a different day). What if Handsome Jack decided to flog him, something else that Rhys enjoyed? Did he know to avoid the lower back in order to prevent accidental damage to the kidneys? Did he buy candles with a lower melting temperature for wax play? What kind of rope did he use for bondage? Did he use the right kind that wouldn't get tighter with time?

Did Handsome Jack know about sub-space? Did he do aftercare or would he just fuck him and send him on his way? As much as Rhys wanted this, really, _really_ wanted this, he knew that that might just break him.

And Handsome Jack clearly didn't understand the idea of a brat, or at least he didn't recognize it by name (let alone something like a "smart ass masochist"), and that was a whole other problem. Rhys might be able to bite his tongue for a while, but what if he said something really nasty in the heat of the moment and really pissed Handsome Jack off? Handsome Jack didn't react well to hearing that Hyperion stock had dropped, how would he react to being told "fuck off, as if I would ever want to be touched by someone like you?"

Most importantly, Rhys needed to be able to trust his partner. If it was a one night stand, then whatever, but with a man as volatile as Handsome Jack, could he even trust him to be in the same room? It had been a long time since he'd been in an involved S&M relationship. Mostly, it was difficult when you lived on a space station with everyone you worked with. He had a casual long distance relationship with a Mistress that lived on Pandora, but they were really good friends more than anything else at this point. He thought about going to her for advice, but the idea of bringing another person into the situation and complicating it further made his head ache.

Hopefully, Handsome Jack would forget about him and everything would go back to normal. He could go back to having little flings with people in departments on the opposite side of Helios he had no chance of running into in the hallways and maybe they would keep their mouths shut about him so word wouldn't reach his goddamn boss's boss's boss's boss.

\---

Jack spent most of his afternoon tapping his fingers on his desk next to his keyboard as he tried to figure out what the fuck just happened. This had literally never happened to him before. No one had ever turned him down for sex and he had propositioned many people as a joke before and laughed at them mercilessly when they so willingly offered themselves up to him. Not only had no one ever turned him down for sex, but no one had ever turned him down for sex who so obviously _wanted to have sex with him_. Jack had gone back and watched the surveillance footage of his office and he could practically see the heartbreak on the man's face as he told him no, so what the fuck was up?

He kept going back to what he said, about being a brat, but honestly, he didn't get it. So he liked to be mouthy in bed, so what? Why should that keep him from wanting to follow his dreams and get fucked by the man that he had _posters of hanging up in his office_? The tricky thing about this situation, and about a lot of situations honestly, was that, when you're Handsome Jack you can't go to other people for help. It makes you look weak. It shows others your vulnerabilities. If there was anyone who knew about weird sex stuff it would be Nisha, but there was no way in hell he was going to call her about this and let her hang it over his head.

He searched the ECHO net for "brat submissive" and he got a lot of words he didn't really have any interest in; a lot of relationship words. Handsome Jack didn't really _do_ relationships. There was a lot of talk of "negotiating roles" and "setting boundaries" and talking in general. Negotiating was also something that Handsome Jack didn't really do. This all seemed like it had a lot more to do with talking and feelings than it did to do with sex. If that was the case, then, yeah, the guy was right, it was not something that Handsome Jack wanted any part of.

Jack huffed and wrinkled his nose, annoyed. He didn't like when others were right. He kind of wanted to blow him out the airlock just for the crime of being right and, by extension, making him wrong, but he glanced over to his monitor where the footage from earlier was playing and the man was sucking on Jack's thumb and, damn, that was hot. He ground his teeth together, but decided that he would let the man live. For now.

His comm buzzed and he grumbled as he answered it. "What?" he growled.

"Your 5 o'clock is here," his secretary's voice told him. He grunted in affirmation and the doors to his office slid open, allowing a person dressed in a yellow R&D suit to enter.

Jack stared at the man, waiting for him to say anything. The man seemed to be waiting for the same from him, but with a lot more fear on his face. As Jack's shoulders crept up towards his ears the man swallowed. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Jack pursed his lips, scrutinizing the man, whose face was now sweating. Eventually he sighed and admitted, "I did, but for the life of me, I can't remember why."

The man looked around, as if someone else were going to help them. "Sir?"

Jack started to dig through the scraps of paper on his desk. Maybe he'd written something down that would give him a clue.

"I thought, when you'd rescheduled our meeting so abruptly this morning-" the man started.

Jack snapped his fingers. "That's it!" He said triumphantly. "I remember now. I had wanted to talk to you before lunch, but then something came up. You fucked Rhys and I had some questions for you."

The man balked, his jaw dropping. "I- what? Excuse me?"

"Rhys Montgomery, you fucked him right?" Jack asked, settling back into his chair. He hadn't been able to get much out of the other former partners of Rhys's that he'd interviewed other than he was a really intense, masochistic partner. He'd hoped to interview this guy before he talked to Rhys, but business got in the way and they had to reschedule for that evening. He should have just cancelled, but now he was curious. Maybe he'd be able to wheedle a little more information out of this one. So far, he was still gaping like a fish so Jack snapped his fingers to get his attention. "It's a real simple yes or no question."

The man at least shut his goddamn mouth and Jack thought he might have even bitten his tongue in the process. Jack tapped on his desk and the man remembered who he was dealing with and that a little personal information was not worth his life. "Yes, uh, sir..." he answered, unsure how to phrase it.

"Excellent," said Jack, which was clearly not the response the man had been expecting. "And how was it, huh? I hear he's a real brat." He hoped that by throwing out that tidbit of information that he'd be able to get more info in return.

R&D took the bait. "Oh yeah, he was a real pain in the neck," he answered with a laugh.

Jack raised one eyebrow. "That bad, huh?"

The man laughed again, surprising Jack. "That _good_ ," he said.

Jack sat back in his chair, interested. He stared at the man, lifting his eyebrows as if to say go on.

"He's, I don't know, like a cat. Like, a cat will look you right in the eyes and then push a wine glass off the table and then purr at you or show you its belly and when you go to pet it, scratch the shit out of you." Jack blinked. The metaphors were lost on him. He thought they were talking about sex. R&D cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't exactly feel comfortable sharing his business…"

Jack waved his hand dismissively, having heard enough anyways. "Yeah, yeah, that's fine," he said, looking down at his watch. "That means get out," he added, when he saw the man hesitate.

"Yes, sir," R&D said as he made for the door. He paused before going through, however, and looked back at Jack's desk. He had to raise his voice a little to speak to Jack when he said, "He's not in trouble is he?"

Jack pointed a gun at him and he disappeared in a hurry. Still, he chuckled when he set the gun down on his desk and mulled over what the man had told him. "I guess that's up to him."

**Author's Note:**

> Jack's curiosity will get the better of him


End file.
